As I mentioned in a previous blog post, different aspects of patent quality are affected by different actors in the patent system. Improving patent quality requires careful examination of the various policy levers available to different actors. For instance, the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is bound by the statutes set forth by Congress. […]
Examination
Exploring the Policy Levers that Impact Patent Quality
During my tenure at the US Patent and Trademark Office, the agency engaged in its Enhanced Patent Quality Initiative. To effectively improve patent quality, it was important to understand the various policy “levers” that might influence quality (and of course to understand what we mean by quality, as I discussed here). What levers are available […]
Understanding Patent Value and Patent Quality
In the last decade and a half patent quality has been at the forefront of debates about patent policy. Industry professionals of all sorts (patent holders, legal practitioners, implementers, policymakers, and academics) seem to agree about the importance of patent quality, but often the consensus stops there. It’s no wonder, because the term ”patent quality” […]